Phoenixville receives $250,000 grant for downtown streetscape

Congressman Jim Gerlach contacted Main Street Manager Barry Cassidy on Dec. 15 to confirm that $250,000 was secured for additional funding toward Phoenixville’s downtown streetscape project. The federal grant will be used to do work on the development of the Barto property. Since the Barto property currently does not have on-street parking, the grant will go toward widening the street and adding another lane. When completed, the property will include 38,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, 448 residential units, and structured, shared parking in two 13-story mix-used towers.

Source: Daily Local; 1/1/10

Forum examines Phoenixville Borough’s economic future

Lisa Longo, owner of Earth Mart on Bridge Street in Phoenixville, hosted the Phoenixville forum on Dec. 21.Longo began the informal meeting of state, regional and local government representatives, as well as borough residents and merchants, by defining economic development. She said economic development,  job creation and a reduction in crime can only occur when three key elements are in place, including: education, infrastructure and incentives. Among the concerns brought up at the meeting was poor communication among various organizations in the borough, including the Phoenixville Economic Development Corporation, Phoenixville Area Business Association, the Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Community Development Corp. and Borough Council.

Source: Daily Local; 1/2/10

Brandywine Valley Y backing $30 million development plan

Brandywine Valley YMCA officials will support the Kennett Area branch’s participation in the $30 million Kennett Square Community Development Plan. Only the Barnard Taylor Library stands in the way of a collaborative effort that planners say will increase commerce in Kennett Square and expand community and recreational services to area residents.  The plan calls for the Kennett Area YMCA, Bayard Taylor Memorial Library, Anson B. Nixon Park and the Borough of Kennett Square to form a partnership that will: build a parking garage at the corner of Race and State Streets; expand the Kennett Area YMCA; keep the library in the borough in a new state-of-the-art facility; and restore historic buildings in the park. The project also includes various road and walkway improvements. Every municipality that surrounds Kennett Square has publicly announced support for the plan. When completed, the revitalization project would bring an additional 75 to 100 new employees to Kennett Square. About 1,000 workers would be employed through construction projects over 10 years.

Source: Daily Local; 1/4/09

Downingtown Borough’s staffing, taxes under review

Downingtown Borough officials unanimously approved a 2010 budget Wednesday night but will likely revisit the budget this month after council reorganizes. Because the borough has new elected officials waiting to be seated, Councilwoman-elect Ann Feldman and Mayor-elect Josh Maxwell, council may reopen budget discussions and make changes.  The budget approved by council Wednesday increased taxes by 0.6 mills, from 6.1 to 6.7 mills. The average homeowner in Downingtown will now pay about $670 per year, compared to $610 in 2009.

Source: Daily Local; 1/5/09

Coatesville City Council places manager on leave

Coatesville City Council placed City Manager Harry Walker on administrative leave and removed Andrew Lehr as city solicitor at Monday afternoon’s annual reorganization. These decisions came after the swearing-in of four newly elected Democratic council members: Jarrell Brazzle, Joseph Hamrick, Ingrid Jones and Karl Marking. Shortly after the vote was taken to remove Lehr, Marking made a motion to appoint attorney John Carnes as solicitor. Carnes is a solicitor in Parkesburg and West Nottingham and was Coatesville’s solicitor for eight years during the Paul Janssen Jr. and E. Jean Krack administrations. Council unanimously appointed Assistant City Manager Kirby Hudson as interim city manager.

Source: Daily Local; 1/5/10

Easttown board approves budget with 12 percent tax hike

Easttown Township’s Board of Supervisors approved a $12.8 million 2010 budget that carries a 12 percent real-estate tax increase. The budget brings the current 3.361 millage to 3.769 mills, or about $3.77 per thousand dollars of a property’s assessed value. The budget also includes a newly adopted Local Services Tax (LST), a $52 flat tax levied on all who work in the township.

Source: Main Line Suburban Life; 12/23/09

Developer is picked for Paoli Master Plan

Development of the Paoli rail yards, 20 acres in Tredyffrin and Willistown Townships, has been a part of the Paoli Master Plan since it was adopted by both townships in 2001. The proposed vision of the Paoli Master Plan, which has a timeline spanning 20 years, involves building a new Paoli Transportation Center (PTC) about 800 feet west of the existing train station. The PTC is planned to include a modern train station and accommodate hundreds of daily riders and a state-of-the-art garage, and it will be housed within a mixed-use development consisting of both retail shops and residential areas. Discussion of this development has been in the works for about 15 years, and now Strategic Realty Investments has been selected as the master developer. For more information on development plans for Paoli, visit www.tredyffrin.org.

Source: Main Line Suburban Life; 12/23/09